Brokenstraw Valley Fund: Planning for a Bright Future

After a successful revitalization campaign, community leaders in the Youngsville area wanted to begin a new philanthropic endeavor that would assist the entire Brokenstraw Valley area with projects and improvements. They wanted to create “A Foundation for Our Future” by establishing a fund that was based in the community and would benefit the community forever.

In October 2014, they presented this idea to area residents in a town-hall style meeting. With the assistance of the Community Foundation of Warren County, they could establish a fund that would exist and grow within the foundation for the exclusive benefit of non-profit organizations in the Brokenstraw, Garland, Pittsfield and Youngsville areas. The Foundation also pledged a $25,000 challenge. If the community could raise $25,000 on its own, the Foundation would match it. Residents of the area embraced this opportunity. Within 15 months that goal was achieved, and the Brokenstraw Valley Fund became a reality.

Under the guidance of the Community Foundation, a Brokenstraw Valley Fund Oversight Committee was created following the operating basics of the Foundation. The Committee meets monthly to discuss fundraising efforts and next steps for the Fund. In the near future, this Committee will be studying and approving grant requests.

The focus, for now, is still on building the Fund to support the future requests from area non-profit organizations. This will allow the Fund to benefit the community generation after generation.

With that in mind, the Oversight Committee continues to drive fundraising through printed pamphlets, meet and greet opportunities at community events, presentations to area alumni, newspaper articles and more. Warren Gives is another great source for the Brokenstraw Valley Fund.

The Community Foundation has worked with leaders from individual communities in Warren County to establish funds that will continuously grow to meet that community’s needs today – and in the future. Presently the Tidioute Area Community Fund and the Brokenstraw Valley Fund are two such community funds. The Foundation’s goal in establishing these funds is to give local leaders access to funds for projects that will benefit their community in Warren County. Since they are more in touch with the projects that benefit their town or area, the community fund gives those leaders the opportunity to support projects using the framework of the Community Foundation of Warren County.